Take Me or Leave Me
by CavanaughCSI3
Summary: Catherine hurts Sara during an emotional case. Song fic RENT. CSR...don't like it...don't read it.


I don't own anything having to do with CSI or RENT, though if I did I would be the happiest person on the face of the planet. This is my first time writing anything slash. I was inspired after watching RENT. If you don't like slashy fics, then don't read it.

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Take Me or Leave Me

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Catherine sighed heavily and cursed under her breath as she sat down behind her desk. How could she be so stupid? She and Sara had been together for almost a year now, but after tonight's events, Catherine was worried that she might have lost her for forever. They had been so good at keeping their personal and professional relationships separate, and all was well until the latest case.

They had been assigned to a double homicide in a residential neighborhood. When they arrived at the scene they found a man in his early 40s and his daughter who couldn't have been older then 8, murdered in their home – stabbed to death. After collecting and processing the evidence, the wife was the main suspect. The police had put out an APB and there was a warrant out for her arrest, eventually she was brought in.

Catherine and Sara had both joined Brass in the interrogation room to question the woman. Sara, being Sara, was taking this particular case close to heart. She went off on the woman in the middle of the interrogation, yelling at her and making threats. Catherine quickly pulled into the hallway and started to scold her. But at one point, she just went too far.

"Why do you get so emotional about these things all the time? You can't get emotionally involved Sara! I can't stand it when you are like this! What the hell is your problem?"

Catherine instantly regretted every word that flew out of her mouth. Why didn't she think before she started yelling? Why did she tell in the first place? She knew exactly why Sara always became emotional during cases such as this. She instantly saw Sara's eyes begin to well up with tears.

Before Catherine could say anything else, Sara quickly turned around and ran out of the building. Catherine hesitated for a moment, but by the time that she decided to go after her, Sara was gone. She went back into the building and talked to Brass. Apparently Sara's ranting had helped, the woman confessed to murdering her husband and daughter not long after she and Sara had left the room.

Now, Catherine was back in her office, contemplating how she could possibly fix what she had broken, who she had broken. She knew that there wasn't anything that she could so by just sitting in the lab, so after grabbing her coat and purse from her locker she headed out to her truck.

She climbed into the driver's seat and found a note taped to the steering wheel. She instantly recognized the hand writing – Sara's. The small piece of paper only said, _Track 19. _She quickly turned on the truck and flipped the stereo to the correct number. She sat back and listened to the song.

**Every single day, I walk down the street  
I hear people say, "Baby's so sweet"  
Ever since puberty, everybody stares at me,  
Boys - girls, I can't help it baby  
So be kind, and don't lose your mind  
Just remember that I'm your baby  
Take me for what I am  
Who I was meant to be  
And if you give a damn  
Take me baby or leave me  
Take me baby or leave me  
A tiger in a cage can never see the sun  
This diva needs her stage,  
Baby - let's have fun!  
You are the one I choose  
Folks would kill to fill your shoes  
You love the limelight too, now baby  
So be mine but don't waste my time  
Cryin' - "O' Honeybear - are you still my my my baby?"**

**Take me for what I am  
Who I was meant to be  
And if you give a damn  
Take me baby or leave me  
No way - can I be what I'm not  
But hey - don't you want your girl hot!  
Don't fight - don't lose your head  
'Cause every night - who's in your bed?  
Who, who's in your bed, baby?  
Kiss, Pookie.**

**It won't work.  
I look before I leap  
I love margins and discipline  
I make lists in my sleep  
Baby what's my sin?  
Never quit - I follow through  
I hate mess - but I love you  
What to do with my impromptu baby  
So be wise 'cause this girl satisfies  
You've got a prize, but don't compromise  
You're one lucky baby  
Take me for what I am**

** A control freak**

**Who I was meant to be**

** A snob - yet over-attentive**

**And if you give a damn**

** A lovable, droll geek**

**Take me baby or leave me**

** And anal retentive**

**That's it!**

**The straw that breaks my back**

**I quit**

**Unless you take it back**

**Women**

**What is it about them?**

**Can't live with them or without them!  
Take me for what I am  
Who I was meant to be  
And if you give a damn  
Take me baby or leave me  
Take me baby  
Or leave me  
Guess I'm leavin'  
I'm GONE!**

Tears were running down her cheeks as Catherine turned off the stereo. Without a second thought she put the truck in drive and headed towards Sara's apartment. Sara didn't go back to her apartment very often but Catherine knew that that is where she would be now. The last lyric of the song, "I'm GONE!" really made Catherine nervous, she hoped that Sara wouldn't be gone.

Sure enough, as Catherine pulled into the apartment complex she saw Sara's Tahoe parked in its assigned space. She quickly ran up the steps and knocked on Sara's front door. Not getting a response, she knocked again. Finally fed up, and slightly worried that Sara wasn't answering the door, Catherine stuck her key in the lock and let herself in.

Looking around the apartment she didn't see Sara anywhere. When she went down the hallway she saw the bedroom door slightly ajar. Quietly slipping into the room, she found Sara curled up on the bed, her back towards the door. Even in the darkness Catherine could tell that her shoulders were shaking – Sara was still crying.

Catherine kicked off her shoes and carefully slipped into her lover's bed. She wrapped her arms around Sara's waist and buried her face into her hair. She felt her body tense up at the initial contact, but eventually relax against her. Catherine quietly began to whisper her apologies.

"Baby, I am so sorry. So sorry. I don't know what came over me. I know why you get emotional over cases like that. I don't know why I said that. I understand. I know that it is who you are and I love you for it. I love how you are so dedicated to solving cases and helping people. I love how you are not only that dedicated to your work, but also to me and our relationship and to Lindsay. I want to take you for who you are, everything that you are. I wouldn't have you any other way. I do give a damn. I don't want to leave you. Please don't leave me. Baby, please look at me."

Sara did as she was told and slowly turned to face her. Catherine's heart began to break even more when she saw how blood shot Sara's brown eyes were. She pressed a kiss to Sara's forehead and then began to kiss all of her tears away.

They laid there for a few minutes, just holding each other until Catherine finally broke the silence. "Baby, I truly am sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"Yes."

Catherine felt as if she could breathe when she Sara finally spoke to her.

"Cat?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Just promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Always take me as I am?"

"I promise baby. Always."

Before they fell asleep in each other's arms, Catherine captured Sara's lips with her own, sealing her promise with a kiss.

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Reviews would be fabulous! Thanks guys! 


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